Woman dressed only in panties beating child in video arrested

The police say they have taken into custody a woman who was seen in a video beating a girl. 

The video has been circulating heavily on social media showing the partially nude woman beating the girl violently with a cutlass, while cursing expletives.

A dog that came between the obviously enraged woman and the girl, as she inflicted blows to the child, was also slapped with the machete.

An onlooker could also be heard towards the end of the film encouraging the angry woman, as the girl manages to break free from the woman's hold and escape.  

In a message on Twitter this afternoon, the police posted that they were aware of the "disturbing video" being circulated on social media and that the woman had been arrested in St Thomas.

The police said they were investigating.